Rosa Luxemburg

To the Unity Conference of the Socialist Organisations in Manchester

(1911)

Written: September 28, 1911.First Published/Source:Justice, 7th October 1911, p.7. Justice was the journal of the British Marxist group, the Social Democratic Federation, later the BSP.Transcription/Markup: Ted Crawford/Brian Baggins with special thanks to Robert Looker for help with permissions.Copyleft: Luxemburg Internet Archive (marxists.org) 2004.

September 28, 1911 To the Unity Conference of the Socialist Organisations in Manchester

Dear Comrades, – It is with very great pleasure that we have received the intimation of your Unity Conference, and send you our best wishes for the success of your deliberations. In common with the organised Socialist Proletariat of the World, we also regard the unification of the real Socialist elements in Great Britain as a matter of the keenest interest, not only to the British, but also to the international working class movement. We are convinced that the union of the two oldest and most important Socialist organisations of England, the S.D.P. and the I.L.P., is an urgent necessity in order to inspire with the Socialist thought and idea of the proletarian class-struggle the masses of the British proletariat organised in the trade unions and to secure the necessary influence to put the policy of the Labour Party on a Socialist basis. Only when all real Socialists of England go forward unitedly together can we succeed in harmonising the political practice of the working-class struggle with its trade union activity, and so establish a real great, independent, revolutionary class Party of the British proletariat. For this reason we heartily welcome Socialist Unity in England as a new support for the struggle of the Socialist proletariat of all countries against militarism, Naval and Military armaments, and Colonial expansion – in short, against Imperialism, wherever it raises its head, in Germany, England, Russia, or any other country; whether it hides itself behind the deceitful mask of simple defence of national interests and the autonomy of the Fatherland, or openly displays the piratical character of its designs upon foreign peoples.

The orgies of international Imperialism at present moment, and the great dangers with which it threatens the civilised world, have been the occasion of the latest awakening of the mass of the British proletariat to a keen class struggle, and gives to the idea of Socialist union in Great Britain greater power and activity than ever before.

In this sense we heartily welcome your Conference, and wish the best results to your labours.

With the Social-Democratic fraternal greetings of, the Executive Committee of the Russo-Polish and Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party.